1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optoelectronic package. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optoelectronic package having passive optical components that are configured to manage optical back reflection and thereby facilitate improved performance of an optoelectronic device housed within the optoelectronic package.
2. Related Technology
Optoelectronic packages are used in the field of fiber optic communication to house an optoelectronic device. In addition, optoelectronic packages may also house other optical and electrical components associated with the optoelectronic device. One example of an optoelectronic package is a transistor outline (“TO”) package, commonly known as a “TO-can.” The optoelectronic device housed within an optoelectronic package is a transducer used to convert optical data signals to electrical data signals or electrical data signals to optical data signals. Examples of optoelectronic devices include edge emitting lasers, such as Fabry-Perot lasers, distributed feedback lasers, and surface emitting lasers, such as vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (“VCSELs”) including long wavelength (“LW”) VCSELs.
One common problem in optoelectronic packages is optical back reflection (“OBR”). OBR can cause interference with optical data signals, a phenomenon commonly known as “noise.” Certain types of edge emitting lasers and surface emitting lasers, such as LW VCSELS, are particularly sensitive to OBR.
One approach to reduce noise caused by OBR in optoelectronic packages involves the use of optical isolators. Optical isolators function to block OBR from reaching the optoelectronic device housed within the optoelectronic package. While the use of optical isolators can help prevent OBR from reaching an optoelectronic device housed within an optoelectronic package, and thereby maintain noise below acceptable levels, the cost of optical isolators can be prohibitive.